Understanding Common

Building Defects, Solutions &

Maintenance Management
[Excerpts from the website www.bd. gov. hk/english/documents/
code/bmg]
1. Common Building Defects and Their Symptoms
1.1 Background
Defects occur in various forms and to different extents in
all types of buildings, irrespective of age. The followings
all contribute to the occurrence of defects in buildings:
The large varieties of building materials used that may
Table: 1 Common building defects and their symptoms
Common Defects Symptoms/Phenomenon Possible Causes
Defective concrete, i.
spalling or loose
plaster in ceilings
Surface with water/rust staining, water
leakage
Patterned cracking
Bulging, falling off of concrete patches
with reinforcement exposed, often
rusty
falling off of plaster/tiles
Defective concrete as a result of ageing is commonly
found in old buildings. Persistent water leakage may
affect the steel reinforcement. Weak concrete caused
by the use of salty water in concrete mix, or overloading
are also common causes in spalling
Water seepage from ii.
external wall, window,
roof, or from ceiling
Water staining
Peeling off of paint or wall paper
Water dripping
Growth of fungus
Defective concrete, plaster or tiles
Rust staining
External water seepage could be due to a variety of
reasons including cracks on external wall, honey comb
concrete, defective sealant at window, defective water-
proofng membrane at roof, defective external water
and drainage pipes, etc
Structural cracks in iii.
walls
Cracks that penetrate through fnishes
into the concrete or bricks
Long, continuous cracks across width
of wall
Diagonal cracks at corners of window
or door
Cracks with rust staining
Structural cracks may be caused by many factors, e.g.
excessive movement of the building structure, unwanted
ground settlement, serious overloading, weaknesses
caused by corrosion/deterioration of materials, or
damage by accidents, or poor design/ construction, etc.
Detailed investigation must be carried out to identify the
cause(s) which must be removed or rectifed before the
cracks are repaired
Structural cracks in iv.
columns & beams
Cracks that penetrate through fnishes
down to the concrete or bricks
Spalling
Same as item (iii) above.
Non-structural cracks v.
(usually in plaster
or other fnishes
with cement sand
rendering as base)
Hairline cracks
multi-directional cracks (shrinkage
cracks)
Cracks between panel walls and
structural elements e.g. brick wall and
beams/columns
Cosmetic shrinkage cracks in plaster or other forms
of fnishes will affect the appearance only and do not
pose any safety concern. They are small hairline cracks
developed within the fnishes layer not penetrating down
to the reinforced concrete structure
Defective external wal vi.
fnishes/mosaic tiles/
ceramic tiles/stone
cladding/curtain wall
Debonding of fnishes/tiles from wall
structure resulting in hollow sound
when tapped with a hammer
Cracking of wall surfaces
Bulging with hollow base
Falling off
Cracks
Loosening of parts
The defects could be due to ageing, structural move-
ments, defective workmanship during installation, ther-
mal movement, defective or missing expansion joints,
damage by external factors (e.g. falling objects during
typhoon), ingress of water into the gap between the
fnishes or tiles and the structure, etc.
not be well congruent with one another;
Construction techniques that may not be defect
proof, inconsistent or sub-standard workmanship;
Use of unsuitable construction details;
Extreme site conditions undermining performance
standards;
Natural deterioration;
Attacks by pollutants; and
Improper uses of the completed buildings.
1.2 Defects in Buildings
Summary of common defects in the buildings are given
in Table: 1.
Structural cracks deserve immediate attention. They
indicate that the structure of the building, or at least a part
of it, is overstressed. A structure, when stressed beyond
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Table: 2 Causes and symptoms of common defects in building services
System Symptoms/Phenomenon Possible Causes
Water i.
Supply
Insuffcient water pressure or fows
Brownish water / grit and deposit
Stoppage of supply
Water seepage
Unclean water, algae growth, dirt and
deposit
Sudden rise in consumption
Noisy water pumps, noisy water inlets
Blockage or leakage of components of the supply system
such as pipes or valves
Rusty pipes or dirty supply tanks
Pump failure, breakage of supply pipe
Defective water tanks, pipes (pipe joints) or valves
Defective or missing water tank cover
Leakage in the system after water meters
Defective water pumps, undue water pressure
Electricity ii.
Supply
Stoppage of supply / system breakdown
Sudden or frequent fuse or circuit breaker
cut off leading to stoppage
Heating of switches & wires
Sudden or frequent stoppage and larger
power consumption
Electric sparks or shocks, electrocution
Failure of fuse or circuit breaker
Earth leakage, overloading
Overloading
Uneven distribution of phases
Inadequate earth bonding
Fire iii.
Services
Alarm not working (when tested), false
alarm or warning lights on signal panels
Portable equipment lost or misplaced, glass
panels of alarm switch- box broken
Non-functioning of equipment
Alarm wiring defect, short circuit
Inadequate protection or poor management
Inadequate maintenance or servicing
Lift and iv.
Escalator
Stoppage, excessive noise during operation,
indicator lamps off, unstable lifting,
malfunction of buttons and indicator lamps
Occasional overrun
Doors not closing properly
Defective mechanical parts, frequent
stoppage, alarm signals
Ageing of parts, mechanical failure
Landing misalignment
Parts ageing, mechanical failure, rubbish obstructing
operation
Inadequate servicing
Air v.
Conditioing
/ Heating
Not cool enough, not warm enough
Noisy, no air movement
Engines sound normal but no air movement
Noisy blowers or propellers movement
Poor indoor air quality
Dripping and substandard output of cool or
warm air
Noisy blowers or propellers movement
Poor effciency, leakage of refrigerant dust and dirt at heat
transmission fns
Loosen parts, blowers or propellers breakage
Dust screens blocked, air ducts and grilles needs cleaning
Misalignment of motor shafts
Insuffcient fresh air intake, mal-function of intake air flter
Insulation failure
Misalignment of motor shafts
its capacity, may collapse without further warning signs.
When such cracks suddenly develop, or appear to widen
and/or spread, the fndings must be reported immediately to
the Authority. A building professional such as a Registered
Structural Engineer is usually required to investigate
the cause(s) of the cracks, to assess their effects on the
structure, to propose suitable rectifcation and remedial
works, and supervise the carrying out of such works.
1.3 Defects in Building Services Installation
Most of the mechanical components of the building
services installations have a relatively shorter life span
than the building structure. Defects in the mechanical
components usually lead to failure requiring repair or
servicing. It is therefore necessary to have a planned
schedule for foreseeable servicing and replacement for
components. Avoid exhausting the designed lifespan
of such components can prevent sudden breakdown
of services that causes undesirable or even disastrous
consequences. Common defects in building services
installations are summarized in Table : 2.
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Other building services installations that require regular
checking and maintenance include gas supply, security
system and alarm, radio, telephone and television signaling
systems, etc
1.4 Water Seepage and Drainage Nuisance
They are common defects in causing nuisances to occupiers
across foors. Though it is obvious that water migrates
downwards by gravity, it is sometimes very diffcult to
identify the source or cause of water seepage. An
extensive investigation may be necessary with the use of
special detectors or apparatus to track down the source
of leakage. Colour dyes, samples collection for analysis,
tests to the possible sources or the specifc spots, etc,
are usual means adopted in identifying the source. It can
be a long and enduring process which requires patience
and co-operation from all parties concerned. Some
examples are listed in Table: 3.
Table: 3 Water leakages and their causes
Location of Leakage
or Seepage
Possible Causes
Underside of roofs i.
(such as fat roof,
podium roofs) and
bottom of light wells
Damage or deterioration of waterproofng layer
Leakage at access doors or top hatch doors
Deterioration of corrugated steel roofng materials and joints
Defective enclosure for water tanks
Cracks of parapet walls affecting the waterproofng membrane
Inadequate protection / improper installation of sleeve around openings through roof slab
Excessive movements of construction joints
Ceiling with internal ii.
areas above
Leakage from bathroom or kitchen above usually caused by seepage from ftments, bathtubs,
shower trays, buried pipes or drains due to improper construction of joints, installation of sealants
or occurrence of cracks
Waterproof cement rendering underneath foor tiles for the foor above not installed/specifed or
such waterproofng features damaged by installation of sockets or conduits
mal-function of waterproofng in nearby external features such as balconies or external walls
above
Wall iii. Water penetration through external wall defects such as cracks, joints, honeycombs, spalling,
weak points, holes, punctures, leftovers of debris, and movement of external wall components
Water penetration through defective external wall fnishes such as loosened mosaic tiles,
cracked ceramic tiles & paint surface; through poor cladding or curtain walls constructions; or
weaknesses in water-resisting components
Water leakage through party walls between units of pre-fabricated elements, or between
buildings
Floor iv. Seepage from defective pipeworks or sanitary ftments
Temporary foods and overfows
Defective bathroom ftments such as bathtubs, shower trays or hand wash basins, or the improper
installation of pipeworks or necessary sealants
Window v. Improper fllings around frames
Deformation of frame and sashes, defective gasket, sealant or putty for window glass setting or
frames
Air conditioning box or platform tilting inwards
Insuffcient sealant around air conditioning units
Basement vi. Inadequate or damaged waterproofng tanking (may be due to movements or punctures)
Deterioration of water stops at construction/movement joints
Buried or underground vii.
drains or pipes
Seepage through defective joints or pipes caused by poor installation or differential movements/
settlements, movement of building structures or ground or water table
Corrosion of pipes at junctions with foors or walls
Invasion of water into conduits and distribute throughout the network
Blockage leading to excessive pressure built up
Attack by rodents or roots of plants
Exposed (or in viii.
pipe ducts) supply pipes
or drains
Inadequacy in design of drains such as insuffcient diameter of drains, bends being too sharp,
etc.
Blockage of drains by rubbish/sand collected in the system especially in bends or traps
Insuffcient number or deterioration of brackets leading to hammering and breakage of supply pipes
Blockage of open joints such as hoppers of down pipes by plants or rubbish
Unauthorized additions overloading the drainage system
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Many different techniques for investigation and repair for
the above defects are available in the market. Readers
should consult a building professional especially when the
cause of the problem is not obvious or cannot be easily
identifed.
Construction or repair of waterproofng components
requires specialist materials and applicators. Normally,
long-term warranty will be provided after application. Once
the sources of the leakage are diagnosed, appropriate
repair methods and suitable materials may be used to
tackle the problem.
1.5 Defects in Windows and External Appendages
1.5.1 Common defects in windows
Windows are perhaps the most vulnerable building element
in external building envelopes, and the need for some
windows to be openable further aggravates the problem.
Glass panels should always be replaced once cracks occur.
Common defects in traditional steel windows usually arise
from rusty frames, and deterioration or loss of putty or
sealant to hold the glass panels.
Aluminum windows have been widely used in new
developments and as replacement of steel windows in
existing buildings but recent incidents of their failure have
aroused safety concerns.
Aluminum window system involves assembly of a certain
number of components by rivets, screws, hinges and
fxing anchors. These accessories, which are prone to
failure, require regular servicing and maintenance to
prevent failure. The friction slide hinges are delicate parts
of the window which demand close attention to avoid
accumulation of dirt that obstruct the sliding motion and
mild lubrication to reduce friction of the moving parts.
Without the required servicing and maintenance, hinges
may become too tight to operate, rivets may loosen
up and screws may be corroded that shorten their life-
span. When excessive forces are applied to operate such
windows or when they are subject to wind load, distortion
or dislodgement of the window sashes or even the frame
may result, causing fatal or serious injuries to the public.
1.5.2 Common defects in external appendages
External appendages are usually cantilevered structures
which include eaves, mouldings, projections, architectural
projecting features, air-conditioning hoods, canopies and
balconies, drying racks, projecting panels and claddings.
Although the structural designs of these elements have
already catered for their cantilevered performance, lack
of maintenance and repair to combat natural weathering
would attract development of defects, unduly shorten
their life-span and eventually result in collapse. Worst
still, such collapse might be sudden without prior obvious
symptoms such as defections leading to catastrophic
consequences.
There are two main reasons why cantilevered structures
demand close monitoring. Firstly, they are often exposed
to weather attack or weakened by unauthorized building
works. Secondly, unlike the conventional reinforced
concrete structures that the main reinforcements are
placed near the bottom to the element, reinforcements
are placed near the top surface of such structures
where cracks will also frst start to develop. Therefore,
if waterproofng at the top is inadequate or damaged by
the cracks allowing ingress of water, corrosion of the
reinforcements will result. The corrosion will reduce the
effective cross-sectional area of the reinforcement bars
resulting in sudden collapse. Common defects are:
Cracking at junctions
Bulging (gaps occuring between fnishes and parent
wall) or peeling-off of fnishes
Spalling of concrete or uncovering of steel
reinforcement
Rusting of metal parts
Damage by fungus or vegetation growth
Water seepage through the features
Corrosion or loosening of attachments
Except for canopies which are mostly found in podium
levels, other appendages are usually thin and small in
sizes but large in numbers which are diffcult to check
and monitor. Therefore, adequate resources should be
allocated for regular inspection and repair in order to
prevent them from becoming falling hazards.
Windows and balconies of individual units usually provide
vantage points for inspection of the defects in the
exterior of the building. Owners spotting any defects in
the exterior of the building should report to the property
manager or the Society of the building for their action,
irrespective of whether the defects are at the exterior of
their own units or other units.
The some of the solutions to the above building defects
are explained in following sections.
2. Solutions
2.1 Repair of structure
2.1.1 Defective concrete/ concrete spalling
(i) Patch repair
It is the most common repair method for minor concrete
defects such as surface spalling. Damaged or defective
concrete is to be hacked off down to sound substrate.
After all defective concrete has been hacked off, rusty
reinforcement bars should be properly cleaned, and
primed with suitable cement/epoxy based primer
matching the mortar used for patching and thereafter
substrate should be patched up with appropriate repair
mortars such as cementitious mortars and polyester-
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modifed cementitious mortar or Resin-based mortars such
as epoxy resin mortar and polyester resin mortar.
(ii) Replacement of reinforcement bars
The process involves identifcation of the type of existing
steel bars, assessment on the required replacement/
supplement of reinforcement bars and the required lapping
of the new and old bars. Structural calculations may also
be required.
2.1.2 Structural cracks
After identifying and addressing the problem causing the
cracks, the repair of the cracks is usually done by pressure
injection of non-shrinkage grout or epoxy resin or by open-
up and refll/recast with concrete.
2.2 Repair of external walls
2.2.1 Wall tiles/fnishes
Proper preparation of the exposed surfaces after removing
loose parts of the existing wall for a physical key with the
new mortar; use of suitable bonding agents or adhesives
for the mortar; and special adhesives for the tiles are
essential means for this purpose.
2.2.2 Cracks
Cracks should be repaired by injection of specially designed
chemicals or through open-up and repair by mortar.
2.3 Waterproofng
2.3.1 Roof
(i) Types of waterproofng materials
The common waterproofng materials used can be classifed
based on their application methods, namely, liquid-applied
and membrane applied. Some materials can be exposed to
weather and sunlight but others require protection such
as cement sand screeding or tile fnishes. Some materials
are more elastic and suitable for anticipated movements
in the roof structure. Life spans of such materials is more
than 5 years.
(ii) Workmanship
Good workmanship is vital in waterproofng works. Areas
of concern include:
Gradient of roof surfaces which should be laid to provide
an adequate fall to avoid ponding;
The thickness of the waterproofng materials applied;
Overlapping of the material at junctions ;
Upturns of the material at parapets and walls, protruding
pipes and ducts, sharp corners are potential areas of
problems;
Downturns of the material into drain holes; and
Prevention of excessive movement caused by equipment
installed on top.
Effective waterproofng work also depends largely
on whether their integrity will be damaged by pumps/
condensers of air conditioning systems causing excessive
movements, unauthorized building works, pipe supports,
etc.
(iii) Testing
Flooding/ponding tests and thermal scanning should be
carried out after the laying of the materials to verify its
waterproofng performance.
(vi) Other repair methods
There are other repair methods such as use of chemical
additives to existing concrete surfaces or polyurethane
(PU) injection into the cracks and voids. Since they can
be applied from the negative side or foor below to stop
the leakage, they are recommended as a temporary
measure when the upper foor or the roof owner is not
co-operative in the repair work . However, the result
may not sustain as water will still fnd its way down via
other weak points.
2.3.2 External Walls
(i) Common sources of leakage
Apart from sleeves, common sources of leakage in
external walls are:
Deep cracks/crevices penetrating the fnishes and
the body of the wall.
Defective concrete found in the wall.
Defective or loss of external fnishes to protect the
wall from direct attack of rain.
(ii) Common repair methods
Cracks/crevices on external walls can either be
repaired by chemical injection or opening up followed
by repair with waterproofng mortar.
Weak points in the wall such as holes, honeycombs,
dirt and foreign matters should be removed and
patched up by suitable waterproofng mortar.
The repair can be done internally or externally, depending
on the location of the weak spot. Upon application of the
repair mortar or chemical injection, the surface can be
smoothened and plastered. The external wall should then
be covered with fnishes to match with existing ones. If
considered necessary, special additives to the mortar or
rendering on the external wall can be applied to improve
its waterproofng abilities.
2.3.3 Bathrooms, Kitchens or Balcony Floors
(i) Sources of leakage
In bathrooms or kitchens, the source of the leakage must
be identifed before any repair works can be considered. If
it is the loosening of components in the drainage system
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such as bottle traps under the sink, basin or bathtub, simple
fxing can stop the leak. However, if defective water supply
pipes are identifed as the culprit, licensed plumbers should
be engaged to replace the defective parts or overhaul the
entire system.
(ii) Repair
Before reconstructing the waterproofng layer of a foor,
all the sanitary ftments and fnishes should be removed
to allow the formation of a continuous waterproofng
construction.
Waterproof cement sand screeding or other similar
materials is commonly used. The screeding should be
applied to have suffcient upturns at the base of the walls,
and have an adequate fall to the foor drain to prevent
water ponding.
Sanitary ftments are to be installed on top of the
waterproofng layer without penetrating it. The foor
surface under the bathtub or shower tray should be formed
with a fall to avoid trapping water at their bases if water
leakage ever occurs.
(iii) Finishing
Tiles should be fully bedded with tile adhesives. After
applying the foor fnishes, the joints between tiles should
be grouted properly with tile grouts. Junctions of wall
fnishes and bathtub or shower trays should be sealed with
suitable silicon sealant.Gaps between marble tiles should
be fxed with fexible waterproofng joint sealant to prevent
long term minor movement giving rise to cracks for water
penetration.
3. Need for Effective Maintenance and Management
After reading through the preceding sections of this
Chapter, readers can appreciate the size and complexity
of problems and the paramount importance of effective
maintenance and management. Formulation of long-
term maintenance as well as surveillance and control
plans are initial steps to ensure a safe and pleasant living
environment.
4. Principles of Long Term Maintenance
Effective maintenance of buildings not only improves the
quality of living environment but is also a vital means to
uphold or even raise the value of properties.
Maintenance in general can be classifed into servicing,
repair, replacement and upgrading. There is also a marked
difference in terms of methods, management and the
result of breakdown maintenance versus planned or
preventive maintenance.
Planned maintenance gives the owners and the property
managers more time to prepare for the works and,
more importantly, to secure the necessary funding. It
usually starts out by a thorough condition survey to
assess the current situations, identify the full extent of
works required and lay down the level of expectation.
Considerations include implementation programs,
standard of performance and reliability, as well as
maintenance strategy, budget, and life cycles of certain
elements and facilities.
Daily maintenance of essential features such as
cleaning of surface water channels to avoid blockage of
drains, servicing of small components of equipment or
easily wearable items such as childrens play furniture
are essential to ensure safe and smooth operation.
A detailed plan for maintenance to be carried out
everyday should be drawn up as per the equipment
suppliers recommendations, needs and expectations of
the owners and priority in allocation of resources.
5. Principles of Inspection, Surveillance and Control
5.1 Inspections
5.1.1 Day-to-day inspection
The day-to-day inspection is to ensure the proper and safe
functioning of different building elements, installations,
services and facilities of a building. Examples of items
that should be included in the checklist are:
Water pipes and pumps;
Gates and locks, fre doors and closers, intercoms
and TV signaling, lights and fttings;
Hose reels, nozzle boxes and alarm glass;
Letter boxes and breakable panels;
Security TV and cameras, timer switches;
Surface water channels, drains, manholes covers, oil
interceptors and grease traps;
Club facilities, fower beds and planters, playground
equipment especially childrens play furniture such
as swings;
Staircases, windows, lobbies, false ceiling, sprinklers;
Air-conditioning units and pipes for coolants and
condensate water;
Building structures, external appendages and
fnishes
Fire has taken many lives in the past. Readers attention
is drawn in particular to the importance of inspecting
the provisions in fre service installations and means of
escape as follows:
5.1.2 Special inspections
(i) Means of escape
Fire resisting doors (Fig. 1), smoke lobby doors and
emergency doors (Fig. 2) should be kept closed, and
the door-closers should work effectively. All such doors
shall bear appropriate signs reminding people that they
should always be kept close.
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No alteration such as door or ventilation openings should
be made to walls enclosing staircases, smoke lobbies and
exit routes unless prior approval from the Authority on
these alterations has been obtained.
Staircase windows and vent openings should not be
blocked. Normally, the frames should be made of steel
instead of aluminum in order to comply with the required
fre resisting requirements.
Artifcial and emergency lighting in staircases and exit
routes including battery operated exit signs should be
maintained in working order.
The swing of doors or gates should not encroach onto exit
routes, such as common corridors, staircases and rear
lanes, causing obstruction to escape.
Doors or gates in common parts should be readily openable
from the inside without the use of a key.
Doors giving access to the roof of single-staircase buildings
should be readily openable from the inside without the use
of a key.
Exit routes should be free of any obstructions such as
racks, shelves, cabinets, storerooms, or rubbish.
Access from one stairway to an alternative stairway via a
common corridor should best be available on each foor.
Exit stairs at ground foor level should be separated from
the rest of the building, such as storerooms, ground foor
shops or other uses.
Exit doors should open in the direction of exit when the
room capacity exceeds 30 persons.
Doors or gates should be set back at ground foor exit
where there is a drop in level or a step. When they open
outwards, they should not obstruct the public pedestrian
fow.
(ii) Means of access for frefghting and rescue
Firemans lifts are used by fremen for rescue in the
event of fre. Access to fremans lift at ground level
should be available directly from a street and free from
obstructions.
Firemans lift lobbies protect the fremen in using the
lift for rescue. No alteration should be made to the
lobby walls and doors.
Exit staircases are used by the fremen for both access
and rescue purposes. They should be free from
obstructions.
5.1.3 Inspecting fre resisting components and
construction
(i) Regular maintenance
Buildings are made up of different components. Some of
them are designed to be fre-rated for resisting spread
of fre. Building owners should keep these fre-resisting
components under proper maintenance. Unauthorized
alterations to such components may affect their fre-
resisting ability and thus the fre safety of the building
and its occupiers. If there is unauthorized alteration
or defective fre-resisting component, the advice of
an Authorized Person (AP) on the conditions and
remedial proposals is necessary. This section introduces
the common types and functions of fre-resisting
components and construction in a building. They should
not be altered without proper professional advice and
the prior approval by the Authority.
(ii) Walls and Floors
Most of the walls and foors in buildings serve to prevent
the spread of fre and smoke from one part of a building
to other parts, or from one building to another. No
unprotected opening should be made in such walls and
foors. If in doubt, the building owners should seek advice
from an AP.
(iii) Staircases
Other than the required fre-fghting equipment and
artifcial lighting installations, staircases should not
normally accommodate electrical cables, air ducts or
similar services. Otherwise, such installations have
to be properly protected by appropriate fre resisting
enclosures.
(iv) Fire-resisting door (Fire door or smoke door)
Fire-resisting doors prevent the spread of fre and smoke
from one part of a building to others and therefore must
not be removed. They should have adequate fre-resisting
properties with self-closing device to keep them in a
closed position. Replacement should be avoided unless
with doors of the same performance. Usually, the main
entrance door to a fat or unit is a fre-resisting door.
The vision panel on a fre-resisting door, if found broken,
should be replaced with suitable fre-resisting.
(v) Other fre-resisting enclosures
Examples of fre-resisting enclosures include the
enclosures to special hazard rooms such as commercial
kitchens, dangerous goods stores, plant & machinery
rooms, switch rooms, electric cable ducts, refuse chutes
and refuse storage rooms. The enclosures, walls, foors
and doors should be maintained as fre-resisting elements.
Fig. 2: Emergency exit door Fig. 1: Fire-resisting door
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5.1.4 Fire service installations
The following are fre service installations and equipment
commonly found in different places:
Fire alarm system (Fig. 3),
Fire/smoke detection system (Fig. 4),
Fire hydrant/hose reel (Fig. 5),
Automatic sprinkler system (Fig. 6),
Automatic gas extraction installation,
Emergency lighting system (Fig. 7),
Exit sign (Fig. 8),
Firemans lift (Fig. 9),
Fire extinguisher (Fig. 10),
Dynamic smoke extraction system,
Fire dampers in ventilating / air-conditioning control
system.




5.1.5 Testing and routine maintenance requirements
To ensure that these essential installations work
effciently at all times, a registered fre service installation
contractor should be employed by the building owners
to inspect and maintain at least once every year.
When the fre service installations are found to be not
working properly or damaged, a registered fre service
installation contractor should be employed immediately
to inspect and repair as necessary.
If the owners have any doubt about the qualifcation
of a contractor for fre service installations, they may
consult the Fire Protection Command of the Fire Services
Department.
5.2 Surveillance
Surveillance serves to prevent or stop misuses,
trespasses, theft or crime in the premises. The plan
should include routes and frequencies of patrol going
through all accessible common areas and hidden
corners. The patrol route should include staircases, roof
tops, lobbies, open space, side and rear lanes, swimming
pools, yards and podiums, machine rooms, switch rooms
and ducts, refuse rooms and hidden corners.
5.3 Control
The surveillance, checking and inspection carried out
by the management personnel help all the owners to
exercise control over the building for a safe, clean and
pleasant living environment. Some areas requiring
control are listed as follows:
Identify all the malfunction and defective elements
and facilities for immediate attention and repairs
according to the agreed strategy and standard for
proper functioning
Stop wedging open of fre doors to ensure proper
protection of exit routes.
Remove rubbish or obstructions from means of
escape and other common parts, and give warnings
to occupiers who have caused the irregularities as
described above or violated the house rules.
Prevent illegal extensions or misuses at the
earliest possible time to prevent deterioration of
environment.
Stop any illegal connections of electricity, water,
drainage, or signal cables for ensuring safety and
proper functioning of utility supplies.
Identify and prevent trespassers or any weak point
in security which will lend itself to burglaries and
trespasses.
Fig. 3: Fire alarm system
Fig. 7: Emergency
lighting system
Fig. 9: Firemans lift
Fig. 4: Fire/smoke
detection system
Fig. 8: Exit sign
Fig. 10: Fire extinguisher
Fig. 5: Fire hydrant/hose reel
Fig. 6: Automatic
sprinkler system
12